Historic Grade II*-listed clock tower which only has three sides to be given facelift

The Grade II*-listed Middlesbrough Dock clock tower has received permission for much-needed improvement works. The structure is in a poor condition and has been standing empty since 1980.

Now, the local authority will be able to replace the existing three clock faces, repair or replace the clock hands, and change the window boards and entrance doors. There are also plans to light up the outside of the Dock Street clock tower which is near to Middlesbrough College, the Transporter Bridge and the Riverside Stadium.

In the national heritage list for England, it states the clock tower was built in 1870 and possibly designed by Philip Webb. However, new research undertaken by architecture firm Ryder, on behalf of the council, has cast doubt on this.

According to the new report, a clock tower was first built in 1846. However, the dock entrance was relocated and this was subsequently demolished.

Then, the new clock tower – the one that still stands today in Middlehaven – was built 200m away from the old version in 1903. The structure helped ships to navigate and also contained hydraulic machinery to operate the dock gates and cranes.

According to Ryder, it was designed by the North Eastern Railway architect department under William Bell. At the time, the upper tower and clock cost £542, equivalent to £52,260 today, and the accumulator house (excluding tanks and machinery) cost £805, equivalent to £77,618.

The tower only has clocks on three sides rather than all four. One of the theories is that companies didn’t want their workers clock-watching throughout their shift.

The clock tower is not in a conservation area but it’s not far from Middlesbrough’s historic quarter where there are a number of listed buildings. This area has been undergoing redevelopment through the £640,000 High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) project.

Grade-II* listed buildings represent just 5.8% of all listed structures, Grade I account for 2.5% and Grade-II make up the other 91.7%.

The total number of listed buildings is not known because one entry might cover a number of individual units, like a row of terraced houses. However, the body estimates that there are around 500,000.